Parachute apparatus

ABSTRACT

Parachute apparatus comprising a main parachute and a drogue parachute connected to the crown of the main parachute, the main parachute having at least one antisquid line connected between the crown thereof and the shrouds or parts connected thereto, such line having a length sufficient to enable the parachute to squid under a drogue drag load, two spaced-apart portions of the line being interconnected by disconnectable means forming a loop in the line, the overall length of the antisquid line being insufficient to permit the parachute to squid, when the loop is present, the arrangement being such that the parachute may be deployed without squidding when the drogue drag load on the crown thereof is below a predetermined value whereas, when said drogue drag load exceeds said predetermined value, the means interconnecting the spaced-apart line portions is disconnected by said drag load to separate the portions and to increase the overall length of the antisquid line by the length of the loop so as to permit squidding of the parachute.

Southlands Manor, Southlands Road, Denham, near Uxbridge, Middlesex,

[72] Inventor England [21] Appl. No. 885,712 [22] Filed Dec. 17, 1969[45] Patented Aug. 17, 1971 [32] Priority Jan. 2, 1969 [3 3] GreatBritain [31] 281/69 [54] PARACHUTE APPARATUS 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. W52 us. Cl .j. 244/152 [51] Int. Cl. 864d 17/36 [50] Field o1Search....244/152, 149, 142

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,055,621 9/1962 Martin244/142 3,222,014 12/1965 Bowden et al. 244/152 X FOREIGN PATENTS1,385,637 12/1964 France 244/152 Primary Examiner-Milton BuchlerAssistant Examiner-Carl A. Rutledge Attarney- Kurt Kelman ABSTRACT:Parachute apparatus comprising a main parachute and a drogue parachuteconnected to the crown of the main parachute, the main parachute havingat least one antisquid line connected between the crown thereof and theshrouds or parts connected thereto, such line having a length sufficientto enable the parachute to squid under a drogue drag load, twospaced-apart portions of the line being interconnected by disconnectablemeans forming a loop in the line, the overall length of the antisquidline being insufficient to permit the parachute to squid, when the loopis present, the arrangement being such that the parachute may bedeployed without squidding when the drogue drag load on the crownthereof is below a predetermined value whereas, when said drogue dragload exceeds said predetermined value, the means interconnecting thespaced-apart line portions is disconnected by said drag load to separatethe portions and to increase the overall length of the antisquid line bythe length of the loop so as to permit squidding of the parachute.

' PATENTED mm mm SHEET 2 OF 2 Inventor v MHES Amzm/ PARACIIUTE APPARATUSThis invention concerns improvements in parachute ap paratus of the kindin which two or more parachutes are connected to one another and areadapted to be deployed in succession.'The invention has particularapplication in parachute apparatus of the kind used in aircraft ejectionseats.

In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,621, I have described and claimed parachuteapparatus comprising a main parachute and a drogue parachute connectedto the crownof the main parachute, the main parachute having at leastone'antisquid line connected between the crown thereof and the shroudsor parts connected thereto so as to prevent squidding of the mainparachute under drogue drag loads applied to its crown duringdeployment. The antisquid line was adapted to be disabled, thereby topennit squidding of the main parachute by the drag load applied by thedrogue upon deployment of the latter at air speeds in excess of that atwhich full deployment of the main parachute is permissible. Theantisquid line was, in certain embodiments, arranged to fracture betweenits ends and, in other embodiments, was arranged to become disconnectedfrom either its connection to the crown of the parachute or itsconnection to the shrouds or parts connected to such shrouds.

It has been found that, in certain embodiments, it may not be desirableto have the disconnected or broken antisquid line floating loose withinthe parachute, and oneobject of this invention is to provide an improvedapparatus which obviates this specific disadvantage. L 1

According to this invention, there is provided parachute ap paratus ofthis type, comprising a main parachute and a drogue parachute connectedto the crown of the main parachute, the main parachute having at leastone antisquid line connected between the crown thereof and the shroudsor parts connected thereto, such line having a length sufficient toenable the parachute to squid under certain drogue drag loads, at leasttwo spaced-apart portions of the line being interconnected bydisconnectable loop-forming means so that when the loop is present, theoverall length of the antisquid line is not sufficient to permit theparachute to squid, the arrangement being such that the parachute may bedeployed without squidding when drogue drag loads on the crown thereofare below a predetermined value whereas, when such drogue drag loadsexceed said predetermined value, the means interconnecting thespaced-apart portions permits such portions to separate so that theoverall length of the antisquid line increases and permits appropriatesquidding of the parachute.

Conveniently, said means merely comprises a rupturable element extendingbetween said spaced-apart portions of the antisquid line, such elementfracturing when the loads exceed said predetermined value.

Such element may comprise a cord or the like or may merely be formed bya length of stitching. Alternatively, however, a releasable two-partcoupling may be provided.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, embodimentsof a parachute with antisquid line will now be described by way ofexample and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. .1 is a diagrammatic side view of a parachute and antisquid line inan effective condition;

FIG. 2 is a similar view to FIG. 1 but showing the line in anineffective condition in which the parachute could, if necessary, squid;and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of a bodiment of an antisquid line.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, the antisquid line 1 merelycomprises a length of cord having opposite end portions 2,3 thereofrespectively connected to the crown 4 and to the shroud lines 5 of theparachute. The antisquid line is formed with a loop 6 as a result ofspaced-apart parts of the line being connected to one another by meansof a weak and portion of a second emrupturable link 7, such as a cord.Alternatively, a releasable v two-part connector 8 may be provided, asshown in FIG. 3.

Such weak link 7 may also be formed simply by stitching provided tosecure together the two spaced-apart parts of the antisquid line.

If desired, the loop 7 may be connected to another portion of theantisquidline in an easily releasable manner, as shown at 9 in FIG. 3,to aid stowage and packing of the parachute.

If desired, more than one antisquid line 1 may be provided in a singleparachute.

. For the sake of completeness a drogue parachute 10 is shown in suchdrawing connected by line 11 to the parachute 4, such drogue parachute10 in turn being connected to a controller parachute 12 by line 13.

Iclaim:

l. Parachute apparatus comprising a main parachute and a drogueparachute connected to the crown of the main parachute, the mainparachute having at least one antisquid line connected between the crownthereof and the shrouds or parts connected thereto, such line having alength sufficient to enable the parachute to squid under a drogue dragload, two spaced-apart portions of the line being interconnected bydisconnectable means forming a loop in the line, the overall length ofthe antisquid line being insufficient to permit the parachute to squid,when the loop is present, the arrangement being such that the parachutemay be deployed without squidding when the drogue drag load on the crownthereof is below a predetermined value whereas, when said drogue dragload exceeds said predetermined value, the means interconnecting thespaced-apart line portions is disconnected by said drag load to separatethe portions and to increase the overall length of the antisquid line bythe length of the loop so as to permit squidding of the parachute.

' 2. Parachute apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said meanscomprises a rupturable element extending between said spaced-apartportions of the antisquid line, said element fracturing when the loadexceeds said predetermined value.

3. Parachute apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said element is alength of stitching extending between said spacedapart portions of theantisquid line.

4. Parachute apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said meanscomprises a two-part coupling, the parts being arranged automatically toseparate when said load exceeds said predetermined value.

- 5. Parachute apparatus according to claim 1, wherein frangible meansretains said loop adjacent said antisquid line.

1. Parachute apparatus comprising a main parachute and a drogueparachute connected to the crown of the main parachute, the mainparachute having at least one antisquid line connected between the crownthereof and the shrouds or parts connected thereto, such line having alength sufficient to enable the parachute to squid under a drogue dragload, two spaced-apart portions of the line being interconnected bydisconnectable means forming a loop in the line, the overall length ofthe antisquid line being insufficient to permit the parachute to squid,when the loop is present, the arrangement being such that the parachutemay be deployed without squidding when the drogue drag load on the crownthereof is below a predetermined value whereas, when said drogue dragload exceeds said predetermined value, the means interconnecting thespaced-apart line portions is disconnected by said drag load to separatethe portions and to increase the overall length of the antisquid line bythe length of the loop so as to permit squidding of the parachute. 2.Parachute apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises arupturable element extending between said spaced-apart portions of theantisquid line, said element fracturing when the load exceeds saidpredetermined value.
 3. Parachute apparatus according to claim 2,wherein said element is a length of stitching extending between saidspaced-apart portions of the antisquid line.
 4. Parachute apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said means comprises a two-part coupling,the parts being arranged automatically to separate when said loadexceeds said predetermined value.
 5. Parachute apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein frangible means retains said loop adjacent saidantisquid line.